Knotter



1954 w. v. GOODHUE ET AL ,67

KNOTTER Filed May 5, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY the tying -tively position the strands in the 'tained in it proper draw'up the knot is being applied irrespective of the angular disposition of-the-strands entering Patented Feb. 23, 1954 KNOTTER William V. Goodhue, Warwick, and Arthur N.

Verrier, Providence, R. I., assignors to Universal Winding Company,

poration of Massachuset Cranston, R. L, a corts Application May 5, 1951, Serial N 0. 224,754

13 Claims.

This invention relates to knot-tying mechanisms for uniting the ends of two strands or filaments, and more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in knot-tying mechanisms of the kind which employ a rotary tying bill.

Knot-tying mechanisms of the kind with which this invention is principally concerned are generally employed with yarn handling machine in which a strand of yarn is withdrawn from a yarn supply and wound on a core to form a yarn package which is the product of the machine. The knot-tying mechanism is customarily positioned along the strand running from the supply mass to the yarn package, and upon the occurrence of a break in the running strand the broken ends are placed in the knot-tying mechanism and reunited. Particularly in the instances where the broken ends of the strand are automatically found and placed in the knot-tying mechanism, imperfect knots are occasionally formed, and upon a subsequent rewinding of the strand the knot becomes undone. This occurs when the reaches of the strands on either side of the loops which are wrapped together in the knot formation by bill of the knotter are so disposed that the tension applied to take up the knot causes the knot to become inverted to form a slip knot which opens up under the tension applied to the strand during a subsequent rewinding. More particularly, the cause of such faulty operation is that the reaches of each of the strands on either side of the interlocked loops in the knot formation are not parallel and in alignment at the time tension is applied to draw up the knot. The

desired parallel relationship between the reaches of the strands on either side of the knot was not always obtainable heretofore, since in some instances the broken strand running from the package left the surface of the package at a point which precluded it from being disposed parallel to the tail portion on the other side of the knot formation, and no means were provided to posithe same relationship with the tying bill during every operation of the knotter.

One of theprincipal purposes of this invention is to provide a knot-tying mechanism in which reach of each strand on either side of the knot formation is properly positioned and positively controlled while tension is applied to strip the knot from the tyin bill and to draw it up, whereby it is assured that the knot formation is reform while the tension to thereof.

' vices in horizontal section;

- knotter showing the rocker "assembly,

the knotter. The construction of many knotters heretofore known and used is such that the knotters must be conditioned to act upon threads of different weights or diameters by changing the adjustment of an associated thread clamping means in order to present the threads to theknotters under the tension required for their proper operation. Faulty operation of knotters of this kind occurs when the required adjustments are neglected or improperly made.

A further purpose of this invention is to provide a knot-tying mechanism which does not require adjustments in order to eifectively unite strands of various weights and diameters.

Another object of this invention is to provide a knot-tying mechanism wherein the reliability of the mechanism is improved by forming the knot on the forward portion of the tying bill from which it may be stripped without difiiculty, and to provide an improved means of governing the automatic operation of the mechanism when it is employed in conjunction with means for automatically finding the broken ends of a strand and placing the ends in operative-position in the mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for positively actuating a knottying mechanism capable of unitin two pieces of strand material and trimming the surplus ends bodiment of the invention in a knotter which is designed for automatic operation in conjunction with a machine in which the ends of the strands to be united are automatically found and placed in ;the knotter. This View also shows-some of the elements of associated end-finding devices, one of which is shown mounted on an extension of the knotter frame;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the knotter shown in Figure 1, showing one of the end-finding de- Figure 3 is a front elevational View of the same knotter with the front cover plate removed showing the knotter actuating rack by means of which the operating parts of the knotter are positively driven;

Figure 4 is a rear elevational View of the same including the rocker pincher, in its initial positioniwhich 3 corresponds to the initial position in which the rotary tying-bill of the knotter is shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a rear elevational view showing the rocker pincher advanced to the left to the point where it has gripped a strand of yarn residing in the tread guides provided in the rocker assembly preparatorily to the formation and drawing up of a knot;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the knotter, with the parts in the same position in which they are shown in Figure 5, illustrating the position of the rotary tying bill relative to the rocker assembly and the disposition of the strands being united with respect to both the rocker assembly and the tying bill;

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view similar to Figures 4 and 5 showing the position of the rocker assembly in an advanced stage of operation in which the knot formation is nearing completion on the tying bill and the rocker assembly is about to move relatively to the tying bill in the direction which will strip the knot from the bill and draw it tight;

Figure 8 is a top plan view showing the knotter in the same stage of operation as in Figure 7, and illustrating the relationship of the strands being united with both the tying bill and the rocker assembly;

Figure 9 is a rear elevational view of the knotter showing the rocker assembly advanced to the point at which the knot formation has been stripped from the tying bill and is being drawn up tightly by the action of the rocker assembly;

Figure 10 is a plan view showing the knotter parts in the same position as in Figure 9, and illustrating the manner in which the knot tail of each strand is maintained close to and parallel with the strand while the knot is being drawn up by the action of the rocker assembly;

Figure 11 is a rear elevational view of the knotter showing the rocker assembly at the extreme limit of its movement, at which point the rocker pincher has released the strand guided by the rocker and the knotted strand is retained on the yarn retainer in readiness for commencement of the winding;

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the knotter showing the parts thereof in the same position in which they are illustrated in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a horizontal section on the line l3--l3 of Figure 6 showing in detail the yarn retainer and the arrangement by which movement of the yarn retainer is effected by the rocker assembly;

Figure 14 is a vertical transverse section on the line lfl-H of Figure 4 illustrating the position of the side scissors and the side scissors bracket with respect to the rocker assembly and the tying bill;

Figure 15' is a vertical transverse section on the line l5-l5 of Figure 4 illustrating the construction whereby the side scissors are operated by the knotter actuating rack;

Figure 16 is a vertical transverse section on the line- 16-l6 of Figure 6;

Figure 17 is a vertical transverse section on the line 11-41 of Figure 4 showing the extension irom the knotter actuating rack which actuates the rocker pincher and the manner in which the rocker pincher is engaged by the extension;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of the side cutter bracket;

Figure 19' is a pers ective view of the r m tamer;

Figure 20 is a vertical section on the line 20-20 of Figure 13 showing details of the construction of the tying bill and its relationship to the associated cam barrel and the knotter actuating rack;

Figure 21 is a sectional view on the line 2l-2l of Figure 20 showing further details of the construction of the tying bill;

Figure 22 is a view showing the form of a knot tied by the illustrated knotter;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of the bill cutter of the tying bill;

Figure 24 is a side elevational view of the rocker arm of the rocker assembly illustrating its relationship with the knotter frame and the knotter actuating rack which are shown in dotted lines; and

Figure 25 is a front elevational view of the rocker arm shown in Figure 24.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 it may be seen that the embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a rotary tying bill indicated generally at which has its axis of rotation disposed horizontally, and which in its rest position has its bill portion disposed upwardly. Two strands P and S to be united are shown positioned on the tying bill ready for the knot tying operation.

For convenience of expression the reaches of the strands from the tying bill which are joined together in the knotter to form the reestablished running strand are referred to as the ends P4 and S-l, and the reaches from the tying bill of the respective strands which are subsequently trimmed off to tails in forming the finished knot are designated as the ends P-2 and S4.

The strand P extends into engagement with the tying bill from a rocker assembly indicated generally at 32 which serves to initially position the strand P with respect to the tying bill and to subsequently control the ends P4 and P-2 when the knot is being formed and drawn up, as described in more detail hereinafter. The rocker assembly 32 also serves to strip the knot formation from the tying bill, as well as performing the functions previously mentioned. With the strands P and S positioned on the tying bill as shown, the tying bill is rotated counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure 13 for the purpose of wrapping the strand S about a loop to be formed in the strand P in order to set up the desired knot formation on the tying bill. When the knot formation has been initiated as a result of the tying bill turning through about a quarter of a revolution, the ends P-l and P-2 are pinched in thread guides provided in the rocker assembly 32 by a rocker pincher 35, which is pivotally supported on the rocker assembly. Further rotation of the tying bill to about the position in which it is shown in Figure 6, is accompanied by movement of the rocker pincher 34 to the position in which it has completed its gripping action on the strand P, and the tying bill is then caused to open, so that further rotation of the tying bill will place the end 8-2, towards which the bill is moving, in the mouth of the bill as shown in Figure 8. Further rotation of the tying bill causes, the bill to sever the strand 84 held in the mouth of the bill and to seize the newly formed end. The knot formation is then essentially complete, and all the strands extending from the knot formation are being positively positioned and controlled. The ends P-l and P4 are firmly held by the rocker assembly, and similarly, the ends of 8-4 and 5-2 are positively controlled. the S4 end being seized in the mouth of the tying bill, and the end 84 being positioned and tensioned by the action of a yarn retainer 36.

The tying bill continues its rotation to a position about one quarter of a turn beyond its initial position and the rocker assembly is moved relatively to the tyin bill in the direction which will cause the knot formation to be stripped from the tying bill and the newly severed end S-2 drawn through the loop formed in the strand P to produce a knot of the kind shown in Figure 22. As the movement of the rocker assembly is initiated the yarn retainer 36 is caused to move towards the tying bill to place the end 5-! with. which it is engaged closely adjacent and in a generally parallel relationship with the end S-Z held in the tying bill.

After the knot is formed by the action of the rocker assembly stripping the knot formation from the tying bill, the tying bill continues to dwell at a point about one quarter of a revolution beyond its starting position, and the rocker assembly continues its movement to the position illustrated in Figure 9, in the course of which the knot is drawn up tightly while each of the four ends running from the knot are positively controlled and positioned. As the drawing up action resulting from the movement of the rocker assembly progresses, the two ends P-l and P4 held by the rocker assembly more closely approach a completely parallel relationship. At the same time, the yarn retainer 36 carries the end 5-! engaged thereby closer to the end S-Z held by the tying bill. The parallel relationship attained between the ends P-l and P4, and b tween the ends S-I and 8-2 may be seen in Figure 10.

By thus controlling the ends on either side of the point at which they are to be knotted during the knot formation, and by maintaining the main length of the strands P-I and 8-! parallel with their respective tail portions P-2 and 84 when drawing up the knot, faulty operation of the knotter resulting in the formation of a slip knot is altogether avoided.

Further movement of the rocker assembly causes the end P-2 controlled by the rocker pincher to be severed, and thereafter the rocker pincher is moved to release the end P-l which is then united with the end 8-! Any slack existing in the newly united strand is taken up by the action of the yarn retainer 36, so that upon reestablishment of the winding, the slack will not cause an undesired actuation of an automatic machine which is controlled by the tension of the running strand, and the strand is not subjected to a sudden jerk capable of causing another break.

The actuation of the knotter parts referred to above is taken from the movement of a rack 38 which is seen best in Figure 3. As later described in more detail, this rack is supported on the front of the knotter frame 40 for vertical reciprocal movement which is guided by the pins 42, 44 moving in the parallel slots 46, 48 which are provided in the rack.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the subject knotter in conjunction with components of automatic end finding means of the kind which may be employed with automatic winding machines. Such automatic devices are arranged so that when the yarn delivering to the winding package breaks, or its supply is exhausted, the end finding means retrieves the loose end from the package by a suction device which may consist of a stationary suction nozzle of trough-like construction. A yarn ejector, such asthe ejector indicated generally at '50, may be positioned in the suction device overlying the bottom of the trough so that upon operation of the ejector a bight of the yarn will be picked up thereby and delivered to the knotter and positioned thereon as the strand P shown in Figures 1 and 2. The broken end extending from the yarn supply may be retrieved by a suction nozzle, such as the nozzle 52, shown partially in Figure l, which is arranged to swing across a strand extending from the yarn supply mass to the tension device of the winding machine, seize the strand, and swing back across the knotter and lay the strand therein as the strand 8 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The operation of the knotter in automatic machines of this kind is customarily controlled by a breakage lever which is retained in its inoperative 'position by the tension of the strand running from the supply mass to the winding package. Upon the occurrence of a break in the running strand the tension on the breakage lever is released, and the breakage lever is spring pressed to the position in which it initiates the sequence of operations which results in the ends of the broken strand being found and placed in the knotter for reuniting. When the ends of the strands are reunited the tension of the reestablished strand depresses the breakage lever to its inoperative position, and the winding is then automatically reestablished. Occasionally, the package end of the broken strand adheres closely to the package surface and is not retrieved by the package end finder. In this event it is desirable to pre- 9 vent the reestablishment of the winding at the completion of the operating cycle of the knotter, and for this purpose there is provided according to this invention a side scissors indicated generally at 54 (Figures 14 and 15) which acts to sever the strand held by the nozzle 52 to release the tension on the supply strand controlling the breakage lever. The breakage lever may then again return to its operative position and the sequence of operation necessary for uniting the broken ends of the strand will be initiated the second time. The details of the construction and operation of the side cutter assembly is explained further hereinafter.

The tying bill indicated generally at 33 is shown in detail in the Figures 20 and 21. The tying bill consists of a bill piece 60 which has a semi-cylindrical portion 62 terminating in a laterally extending bill 64. The other end of the bill piece is cylindrical in form as at 66, and the pinion 68 is fixed to the bottom side of this cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion of the bill piece is journalled for rotation in an annular extension 70 which protrudes from the bottom of a cam barrel 12. The annular extension 70 is encircled by a bushing 74 which is seated in a circular aperture in the knotter frame member 4!]. The tying bill also comprises a bill spring which is a relatively thin flat member configured generally similar to the flat side of the bill piece 60 and terminating at its corresponding end in a bill portion similar to the bill 64. The other end of the bill spring is warped and received in a slot formed in the cylindrical portion 66 of the bill piece. A bill cutter 88, shown in Figure 23, is interposed between the bill piece 60 and the bill spring 80 and supported for a pivotal movement relative thereto on a pin at which extends from the flat side of the bill piece and terinmates in an aperture provided in the bill spring positioned on the other-side of the bill cutter. The bill cutter is provided with a bill portion 92 similar in configuration to the bill 84 of the bill piece. Inwardly of the tip of the bill 92 there is provided a notch 94 which serves to retain the portion of the strand S engaged by the tying bill on the forwardly portion thereof while the knot formation is being set up, so that the knot formation may be stripped off without difficulty and without dislodging from the tying bill the newly severed end -2 which is subsequently drawn through a loop in the knot formation to complete the knot.

The portion of the bill cutter remote from the pivot point is fiared outwardly to provide camming surfaces 96 and 9B which cooperate with the interior circumference of the cam barrel 12 to actuate the bill cutter as the tying bill is rotated. As shown in Figure 21, the annular extension 10 in which the tying bill is journalled is set eccentrically to the interior surface of the cam barrel which acts on the camming surfaces 96 and 98 of the bill cutter. The bill cutter is configured so that the surface 96 bears against the interior surface of the cam barrel which is set closest to the axis of rotation of the tying bill and causes the bill to open as the hill approaches the position in which it is shown in Figure 6. The tying bill remains open until the end 8-2 has been seized in the bill, as previously explained, and thereafter further rotation of the bill places the camming surface 98 in contact with the cam barrel and pivots the bill cutter toward its closed position. The mutually facing edges of the nose portions of the bill cutter and the bill spring are provided with cutting edges which close upon the end S-2; and sever it. The newly severed end is pinched between the mutually facing sides of the bill cutter and the bill piece and there retained until the bill cutter has been rotated to the position in which it dwells while the knot formation is being stripped from the bill and drawn up by the action of the rocker assembly.

It has been mentioned previously that the reliability of the knotter is improved by setting up the knot formation on the forwardly portion of the tying bill, and that the function of the notch 94 on the crown of the bill cutter 92 is to retain the knot formation on the forwardly portion of the tying bill. bill cutter and th wall of the cam barrel 12 are constructed so as to further aid in setting up the knot formation on the forwardly portion of the bill. It may be observed from Figure 6 that as the tying bill rotates to the position in which the bill opens to seize the end 3-2, the end S-I is partially wrapped around the tying bill remotely from the bill tip. Unless the strand 8-2 rises up along the surface 98 of the bill cutter as the tying bill continues its rotation, this end of the strand will not be positioned for shedding when the tying bill reaches the position at which the knot formation is stripped off. To prevent this occurrence, the wall of the cam barrel is heightened as at I01) along the portion of its edge over which the strand S-Z passes as the tying bill rotates from the position in which it is shown in Figure 6 to that in which it is shown in Figure 8. The surface 96 on the bill cutter B2 is curved smoothly up to the notch 94 to assist the strand in riding over the surface to the forwardly part of the bill.

Referring to Figure l, the knotter is provided with a housing I02 which supports a laterally extending thread guide I04, curved downwardly The surface 96 on the all) at its outer end, which assists in placement in the strand S on the tying bill so that the strand is disposed in the notch 94 on the bill cutter. As the strand S is carried into position it moves upwardly along the laterally extending guide I08 formed on the rocker assembly, then across the downwardly curling guide IE8, also supported on the rocker assembly, and snaps from the guide it into the positioning notch 94.

Referring to Figure 3, the rotary motion of the tying bill is caused by the upward movement of the actuating rack 38 which is provided with a toothed rack III along one edge thereof which drivingly engages the pinion 68. The length of th toothed rack Ill is sufficient to drive the tying bill through about one and one quarter revolutions to the position in which it dwells while the knot formation is being stripped off and drawn up. The upward movement of the rack 38 is continued in order to provide actuation for the rocker assembly 32, and during this continued movement of the rack 38, the pinion 68 moves onto the smooth edge of the rack immediately beneath the toothed rack I l I. The tying bill is thus retained in its dwell position until the rack 38 is lowered upon completion of the operating cycle of the lrnotter, and the teeth of the rack III again engage the pinion (58 to return the tying bill to its initial position.

The rocker assembly 32 comprises a rocker arm Hi3 which is pivotally supported on the knotter frame it by the bolt I82 which extends through aligned apertures in the box-like bottom portion l US of the arm, as indicated most clearly in Figure 24;. The upper side of the portion IIG is extended laterally and angled over to provide the arm i It which lies parallel to the frame member' iil. The upper end of this arm is provided with a vertical extension I38, and the laterally extending thread guide IE6, previously referred to. ihe extension H8 supports the thread guide {Bil which is disposed normally to the plane of the arm IIG. The rear side of the box-like portion H4 is extended obliquely downwardly to provide a lever arm i211, and to this lever arm there is fixed a pin I22 extending through an aperture in the frame member ie into the slot I24 of the actuating rack 38, as seen in Figure 3. The bottom end of the slot I2l is enlarged in its width as at I26. Upon upward actuating movement of the rack 38, the pin 122 remains stationary until the rack is raised to the extent that the pin I22 is free to move into the enlarged portion I28 of the slot. The rocker arm is then caused to swing outwardly with respect to the tying bill in the manner previously described.

The widened portion I of the slot is positioned a sufficient distance from the upper end thereof so that the swinging movement of the rocker assembly is delayed until the strand P has been firmly clamped by the action of the rocker pincher 3d and th tying bill has been rotated slightly beyond the position where the mouth of the bill picks up the end S-2. This position is indicated approximately in Figure 7, and the approximate position of the pin I22 in the slot I24 when th operation of the knotter has proceeded to this extent is shown therein in dotted lines in Figure 3.

The rocker pincher til which serves to clamp the strand P which is guided and controlled by the rocker assembly during the formation and drawing up of the knot consists of a flat plate which is pivoted at one end to the rocker arm I III by the pin I and which at its other end isbiknots.

furcated to provide the fingers I32 and I34. The initial position of the rocker pincher with respect to the rocker arm I I is illustrated in Figure 4. In this position the recess between the fingers I32, I34 extends above the top edge of the rocker arm and is disposed slightly to the right of the rocker arm extension II8 as viewed in Figure 4.

In positioning the strands P and S- on the knotter, the strand P is first looped around the tying bill with the end P-2 being guided in the recess between the finger I32, I34, and the end P-I being guided in the notch formed by the juncture of the upper edge of the thread guide I06 and the side edge of the extension II 8. The guides thus provided for the strand P are located as close together as the placement of a scissors blade, subsequently described, will permit, so that the ends P-I and P-2 during drawing up of the knot are maintained in the parallel relationship which minimizes the formation of slip- Immediately after the rotation of the tying bill has been initiated, the rocker pincher 34 is caused to pivot about the pin I to clamp the strand P between the mutually facing surfaces of the rocker arm H0 and the rocker pincher 34 in the manner illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 7 and 9. Firm clamping action by the rocker pincher 34 is eifected by the leaf spring I35 which overlies pincher and which is adjusted thereon to cause the finger I32 to tightly grip the end P-I and the finger I34 to establish a controlled drag on the end P-2. The rocker pincher 34 remains in its strand clamping position until the rocker arm approaches the extreme limit of its movement, and whereupon the pincher is caused to swing relatively to the rocker arm in the direction which releases the clamping action.

, Referring to Figure 17, the rocker pincher 34 is moved to its clamping position by an arm I38 which extends normally from the rack 38 through an aperture I40 in the frame member 40; The end of the arm I 38 is provided with a notch I42 in which the elongated tail portion I44 of the rocker pincher is received. In their initial positions the bottom edge of the notch I42 is spaced from the bottom edge of the pincher tail I44, as may be seen in Figure 4. Upward movement of the actuating rack 38 initiates rotation of the tying bill, moves the arm I 38 upwardly into engagement with the tail I44, and swings the rocker pincher to its strand clamping position following the short dwell occasioned by the spacing between the bottom edge of the notch I42 and the bottom edge of the tail I 44. The action of the arm I38 on the tail I44 is continued until the rocker pincher is moved to the position relative to the rocker arm which is illustrated in Figure 7. As previously explained, at about this point in the operating cycle the rocker arm is swung relatively to the tying bill in the direction which causes the knot formation to be stripped from the tying bill and drawn up. The swinging movement of the rocker arm which commences when the rocker pinchers are moved to its fully clamped position swings the tail I44 upwardly, and in order to prevent the pinchers frombeing pivoted in their unclamping direction during. movement of the rocker arm by virtue ofa camming action of the upper surface of the tail portion on the top edge of the notch I42, the upper edge of the tail portion I44 is tapered away from the top edge of the notch to prevent such engagement. In the embodithe lower part of the rocker ment of the invention illustrated, the rocker pincher is pivoted relatively to the rocker arm to its unclamped position towards the end of the rocker arm movement by means which are employed to operate the rocker scissors indicated generally at I50. These scissors act to sever the surplus end of the strand P after the knot has been formed and drawn up.

As may be seen best in Figure 16, the rocker scissors I50 comprise a stationary blade I52 which is fixed to the surface of the rocker arm facing the tying bill by means of a pin I30 and a stud I56 which passes through a lateral extension of the lower end of the blade. The movable scissors blade I58 is pivoted on the pin I30 and is also pivotally connected at I60 to the scissors operating arm I 62. As seen best in Figure 2, the arm I62 extends through an aperture provided in the angled-over portion of the frame member 40. The end of the arm I62 is provided with a flanged portion I64 and inwardly thereof the arm is enlarged in width to provide a notch which engages the inner surface of the frame member, so that the sliding movement of the scissors actuating arm I62 in the aperture in the 'frame member is limited between the notch engaging the one side of the frame member and the flanged end I64 engaging the other side thereof.

As previously explained, the movement of the rocker arm I I0 relatively to the tying bill does not commence until the rocker pincher has moved to its strand clamping position and the tying bill hasbeen rotated to about the position in which it is illustrated in Figure 8. As the rocker arm moves relatively to the tying bill to strip the knot formation and to draw up the knot, the arm I 62 is drawn in the same direction until the flanged end I64 engages the outer surface of the frame member 40, whereupon the arm acts to pivot the movable blade I58 of the rocker scissors about its pivot I 30 to close the scissors. The end P-2 which is clamped between the mutually facing surfaces of the finger I34 and the rocker arm is disposed between the blades of the rocker scissors I50 and severed thereby when the rocker arm is advanced to the position in which it is shown in Figures 9 and 10.

As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 16, the movable blade I58 of the rocker scissors is provided with a tab I10 which extends perpendicularly from the plane of the blade to overlie the upper edge of the tail I44 of the rocker pincher. The end portion of this tab is turned upwardly to lie parallel to the arm I 62. The bottom edge of the tab I10 acts on the notched portion I12 provided on the upper surface of the tail I44 to pivot the rocker pincher relatively to the rocker arm as the latter approaches the limit of its movement, thereby releasing the ends P-I and P-2 clamped between the mutually facing surfaces of the rocker arm and the fingers I32, I34 of the rocker pincher.

Referring to Figures 9 and 11, the scissors actuating arm I62 remains stationary after the scissors have been operated and until the rocker arm I I0 reaches the limit of its movement away from the tying bill. The continued movement of the rocker arm carries the tail I44 upwardly, and shortly before the rocker arm reaches the limit of its movement the notch portion I12 of the tail I44 engages the underside of the tab I10.

.Thereupon the further movement of the rocker arm causes the rocker pincher to be pivoted rel atively to the rockerarrii to its strand releasing position which is that illustrated in Figure 11. The operating stroke of the knotter is then completed and the operating parts, all of which are positively driven from the actuating rack 3d, are returned to theirinitial positions by the action of the spring I16 which is fixed at one end to the extension arm I38 and at its other end to a pin I18 mounted on the frame MI. During the return movement of the parts, the upper edge of the notch I42 engages the top edge of the tail I44 and returns the rocker pinoher to its initial position, in which position the bottom edge of the tail I44 is spaced a selected distance above the bottom edge of the notch I42.

The yarn retainer 36 which functions to move the strand S-I towards the tying bill as the knot is being drawn up and which thereafter acts to take up slack in the newly united strand comprises a hook arm I90 having alower integrally formed bracket-like part I92 which is provided with aligned apertures which receive a pivot pin I94 by means of which the yarn retainer is pivotally supported on the frame s8, as may be seen in Figures 13 and 19. One end of a spring I96, which is coiled about the pivot pin 9 is fixedly positioned with respect to the knotter frame c9, and the other end of the spring acts on the turned in hanged portion I98 on the lower end of the bracket-like extension I92. The spring I96 thus tends to swing the hook portion I93 towards the tying bill. When the strand S is moved across the thread guides Hi8 and I98 for placement on the tying bill, the strand snaps downwardly off the end of the guide I98 into the notch 94 on the crown of the bill cutter and behind the tip of the hook arm I98 of the yarn retainer. In order to facilitate the strand S being properly positioned behind the yarn retainer as required for proper operation of the knotter, the hook arm I90 is held away from the tying bill during the initial portion of the operating cycle and thereafter permitted to move inwardly towards the tying bill in order to establish the ends S4 and S4 parallel to one another when the knot is being drawn up. This movement of the yarn retainer is accomplished by the arrangement whereby the flange ISE of the yarn retainer coacts with a camming edge 200 provided on the extension I28 of the rocker arm H0.

As previously indicated, the rocker arm IIII remains in the initial position inwhich it is shown in Figures 4 and 13 until the rocker pincher has been moved to its clamping position and the tying bill has rotated to the extent that the strand S-I has been grasped in the mouth of the bill. At about this point, the rocker arm moves relatively to the tying bill to first strip the knot formation from the bill and to draw it up. As the movement of the rocker is initiated the camming surface 200 retreats from the flange I98 of the yarn retainer, and impelled by the spring I95 the hook portion I90 moves toward the tying bill and draws the end S-l into a more parallel relationship with the strand S-2 held in the mouth of the tying bill and places these ends in alignment with the parallel ends P-I and P- 2 controlled by the rocker assembly.

The strand S when guided into the knotter in the manner previously described passes around the upwardly extending bail 2M which is supported on the rocker arm I III. The bail 201 acts on the end S-I when the rocker arm is moves 12 relatively to the tying bill tc assist in stripping the knot formation from the tying bill and in drawing it up. When the knot has been formed and drawn up in the manner described, and after the rocker scissors have trimmed the end P-2; the slack in the newly formed running strand is taken up by the tendency of the yarn retainer to move towards the tying bill. The reestablish ment of the winding causes the newly formed strand to swing the yarn retainer downwardly against the action of the spring I95 until the strand slips oif the end of the hook portion I98 When the rocker arm is returned to its original position upon the completion of the operating cycle, the camming surface 200 strike the flange I98 and returns the yarn retainer 36 to its initial position.

Referring to Figures l4, l5 and 18', the' side cutters 54 which function to release the tenses on the strand S, which may be employed to an tomatically control the operation of the mop, ter, comprises a bracket 292 which is fixed to the frame 40 in the position in which the strand S-I, when placed in the knotter, passes over the guiding surface 204 provided on the edge of the angled-over end 205 of the laterally extending arm 291. The angled-over end 205 is doubled back and turned outwardly toprovide a guide slot 295 and a thread guide 2B8. A stationary scissors blade 2H1 is fixed to the side of the br'ac'k et 292 and disposed so that the cutting edge of the blade is immediately beneath the strand S 'I, extending over the guide surface 264 from the tying bill. A movable scissors blade 2I2 is piv= oted on the bracket 292 by the pin 2M and is provided with legs H6 and 2I8 whi ch extend through an elongated aperture in the knotter frame id. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 15, the ends of the legs 216, 218 are of sufiicient length to extend into the slots 220, 222, in the actuating rack 38. About midway in the upward ac= tuating stroke" of the rack 38, the bottom edge of the slot 220 engages the leg 2I8 and pivots the movable scissors blade 2 I2 to its cutting pc-- sition. The length of the slot 220 is chosen so that the scissors 54 are not actuated until the tying bill has rotated to about the position in. which it is shown in Figure 7. Normally, the strand P extending from beneath the tying bill to the rocker assembly prevents the strand S from moving downwardly into the guide slot 206 as the tying bill is rotated. In the event that the strand P is not placed on the tying bill at the commencement of the knotter cycle, the strand s which is held on the forwardly part of the tying bill by the notch 94 on the bill cutter, is permitted to move downwardly into the guide slot 296 of the side scissors bracket as the tying bill is rotated about one-half revolution. positioned within the 51m; 206, the strand s-r is within the scissor blades 2W, 2 I2 at the time the side scissors are operated by the upward stroke of the actuated rack 33. The end 8-2 is thereby severed and the severed portion of the strand then withdrawn from the knotter by the action of a suitable end finding device, such as the sin;- tion nozzle 52 shown in Figures land 2 The tension on the strand S is thus released, and a breakage lever with which it may be operativ'ely associated is permitted to rise to actuate a fiif-' ther cycling of the end finding and knot tying dev ces;

The claims of invention that are: esired to be secured by Letters Patent are set term ticwjit 1. A knctter for tying to'gethftwti strands" comprising a rotary tying bill engageable'by said strands, a pivotally supported rocker assembly positioned adjacent said tying bill, strand pinching means supported on said rocker assembly for releasably clamping two reaches of one strand passing to said rocker assembly from said tying bill, means on said tying bill for pinching the free end of a second strand on one side of said tying bill, means yieldingly retaining said second strand on the other side of said tying bill adjacent thereto, an actuating rack supported for reciprocal movement adjacent said bill, means aifixed to said rocker assembly engageable by said actuating rack to pivot said rocker assembly relatively to said tying bill in the direction which causes a knot formed on said tying bill to be stripped therefrom and drawn up, a pinion fixed to said tying bill for rotation therewith, a toothed rack formed on said actuating rack engaging said pinion, an arm extending from said actuating rack and positioned to operatively engage said strand pinching means, and means for reciprocating said actuating rack, whereby reciprocation of said actuating rack causes said toothed rack to rotate said bill to form a knot thereon, said arm to move said pinching means to clamping position, and said means affixed to said rocker to be engaged thereby to pivot said rocker assembly to strip from said bill the knot formed thereon.

1 2. A knotter for tying together two strands comprising a rotary tying bill engageable by said strands, a pivotally supported rocker as: sembly positioned adjacent said tying bill, said rocker assembly being provided with two closely spaced strand guides for two reaches of a strand wrapped around said tying bill and passing therefrom to said rocker assembly, said rocker assembly including pivotally supported strand pinching means for releasably clamping the two said reaches in said strand guides, means on said tying bill for pinching the free end of a second strand on one side of said tying bill, actuating means for rotating said bill to form a knot thereon and for pivoting said rocker assembly relatively to said tying bill in the direction which causes a knot formed on said tying bill to be stripped therefrom and drawn up, and means released by the pivotal movement of said rocker assembly to yieldingly press said second strand on the other side of said tying bill towards the free end'of said second strand pinched in said tying bill.

3. A knotter as claimed in claim 2' in which said tying bill comprises a bill piece and a bill cutter pivotally supported on said bill piece, a barrel cam comprising a cylindrical wall encircling said tying bill and coacting with said bill cutter to actuate said tying bill, and means for restricting the formation of a knot on said bill to the forward portion of said bill, said means including a notch provided on the forward portion of the bill of said bill cutter and providing an abutment for positioning said second strand in the'knotter, an elongation in the wall of said barrel cam for raising up the portion of said second strand which passes over the edge of said barrel cam to the rear edge of said bill cutter as the said tying bill is rotated, and said rear edge of said bill cutter being smoothly curved up to the forward portion thereof in which said notch is formed.

4. A knotter for tying together two strands comprising a rotary tying bill engageable by two strands, a pivotally supported rocker assembly positioned adjacent said tying bill, said rocker assembly being provided with two closely spaced strand guides for two reaches of one of said two strands passing to said rocker assembly from said tying bill, said rocker assembly including pivotally supported strand pinching means for releasably clamping the two said reaches in said strand guides, means on said tying bill for pinching the free end of the second of said two strands on one side of said tying bill, an actuating rack having a slot formed therein supported for reciprocal movement adjacent said bill, a pin fixed to said rocker assembly and extending into said slot for operative engagement with said actuating rack, a pinion fixed to said tying bill for rotation therewith, a toothed rack formed on said actuating rack engaging said pinion, an arm extending from said actuating rack positioned to operatively engage said pinching means, and means released by said rocker assembly to yieldingly press said second strand on the other side of said tying bill towards the free end of said second strand pinched in said tying bill, whereby reciprocation of said actuating rack causes said toothed rack to rotate said tying bill to form a knot thereon, said arm to move said pinching means to clamping position, and said pin and slot to pivot said rocker assembly to strip from said bill the knot formed thereon.

5. A knotter for tying together two strands comprising a frame member, a tying bill rotatably supported on said frame member, a rocker arm pivotally supported on said frame member, the distal end of said rocker arm being adjacent said tying bill, a pincher pivotally supported on said rocker arm, the distal end of said pincher having fingers extending proximate the distal end of said rocker arm, a strand guide provided on said rocker arm, a strand guide provided on said pincher, said guides being closely spaced, means for pivoting said pincher to releasably clamp in said strand guides two reaches of a strand extending to said guides from said tying bill, means on said tying bill for pinching the rree end of a second strand on one side of said tying bill, said pincher pivoting means having means for rotating said bill to form a knot thereon and means engageable with said rocker arm to pivot said arm in the direction which causes a knot formed on said tying bill to be stripped therefrom and drawn up, and means released by said rocker arm to yieldingly press said second strand on the other side of said tying bill towards the free end of said second strand pinched in said tying bill.

6. A knotter as claimed in claim 5 comprising means for severing one reach of the strand clamped in the said guides after a knot has been formed and drawn up, said last named means including a scissors blade pivotally supported on said rocker arm and extending between said guides when they are in their normal positions, a second scissors blade fixedly supported on said rocker arm and positioned to cooperate with the first said blade, a scissors operating arm connected to said movable blade at one end .and slidably supported in said frame member at its other end, and means for limiting the sliding movement of said operating arm after said rocker arm has caused the knot to be stripped from the tying bill and drawn up, whereby the scissors are operated.

'7. A knotter as claimed in claim 6 comprising an extension on said movable blade positioned thereon to overlie said pincher, said extension 

